At ESPN.com, Pierre LeBrun writes that the day and meeting where progress is made and the status quo is changed between the NHLPA and the owners will be a random day with little fanfare leading up to it.

As LeBrun notes, that is what happened in 2005 “out of nowhere during a secret meeting between Bill Daly and Ted Saskin in Niagara Falls, N.Y., came the NHLPA’s acceptance of a salary cap, which for better or for worse was the first step in finally reaching an eventual deal seven years ago.”

LeBrun adds “I suspect the same will hold true here. That without any obvious hints or signs, the two sides will finally find a trigger on the core economic issues, which will provide a domino effect for the rest of the deal.”